Philanthropy
Charitable Causes
Throughout her lifetime, Ava Gardner was known to be a generous and compassionate person. She supported such charitable causes as the March of Dimes, The American Cancer Society, and the American Red Cross. In addition to her support of charitable causes, she was most generous on a very personal level and there are numerous accounts of her personal generosity.
One such account is told by her housekeeper and companion, Carmen Vargas. Carmen was with Ava during the London years. Carmen told of Ava bringing home a young woman of modest means she had met during a walk with her Corgi, Morgan, in Hyde Park. She opened a closet of her most special haute couture gowns and told the woman to pick one. She explained to the woman she could have the one she picked to keep. Those gowns, some of them very famous themselves, were very valuable. This did not matter to Ava who did not get caught up in the value of things, and she did not care much about money. Her preference was to do something kind and helpful.
In 1986, Ava established her Trust naming The Queen Victoria Hospital and the Animal Health Trust as beneficiaries. Ava’s sister, Myra, named the Ava Gardner Museum as a beneficiary before she died in 2005. Since that time, the Animal Health Trust has permanently closed its doors and the current trustees named St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as a beneficiary. Currently there are three legally established beneficiaries: The Queen Victoria Hospital, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and the Ava Gardner Museum. Since 1986, The trust has distributed just under two million dollars to the beneficiaries. In today’s money that may not be considered a great amount, but in the money of Ava’s era, it was a great amount.
Ava would be very happy she is still able to give to her beneficiaries and that the Queen Victoria Hospital has survived as a beneficiary after 33 years since her passing. Please remember that every time you buy an official Ava Gardner branded product, you are supporting these three beneficiaries. Ava Gardner’s Legacy of Giving lives on through her Trust.
During her first few years in Hollywood, Ava Gardner actively supported America's war efforts – volunteering at the Hollywood Canteen for servicemen, traveling the country on a WWII bond drive, and donating her time to organizations like the USO through the National War Fund.
Once Ava Gardner became a star, she used her celebrity status to advocate for a multitude of charities like March of Dimes, the American Red Cross, and the American Cancer Society.
Ava Gardner was a lifelong animal lover, and she was a staunch supporter of animal welfare causes.
Lasting Legacy
When the American Film Institute named the 50 greatest screen legends of the 20th Century, Ava Gardner was among them. Though her natural beauty and timeless glamour put her on the map, it is her fearless lifestyle which continues to make her even more relevant to modern-day audiences. Consequently, she is one of only a handful of well-known women who not only prefigured the feminist icon, but whose authentic legacy still lives on.
In fact, it was her earthy, magnetic screen presence in films like Mogambo (1953), The Barefoot Contessa (1954), and The Night of the Iguana (1964) that ultimately made her an international star; yet for nearly half a century, Ava Gardner wowed audiences in over 60 film and television productions. She received recognition and accolades from critics, fans, and film festivals the world over, earning Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA acting nominations along the way.
Following the release of her hit films Show Boat (1951) and The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952), Ava was asked to leave her hand and footprints at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. In 1960, she was among the first phase of honorees to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
While Ava’s star rose, she never forgot her humble beginnings in the rural, segregated communities of the Depression-era south, and she spent her life supporting social and political causes near and dear to her heart. In the 1960s, she became a lifetime member of the NAACP, and she contributed to special events designed to benefit underserved communities of color.
She also raised funds for philanthropic organizations like the March of Dimes, the American Cancer Society, and the American Red Cross. In her final years, she directed her estate’s trust to commit all future funds earned to nonprofits and charities which advance medical research and animal welfare.
Her daring and strong-willed film characters coupled with her personal courage have made Ava Gardner a modern touchstone for women of all ages everywhere. The bold choices she personally made and the way she independently lived her life were ahead of her time. With recent high-profile restorations of her classic films like The Killers (1946) and Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951), interest in and recognition of her legacy has never been higher.
For the last decade, her name, “Ava,” has been one of the most popular newborn girl names in the country. Even today, three decades since her passing, Ava Gardner’s life and cultural impact continue to resonate with people around the globe. She is the subject of countless magazine articles, podcasts, films, and best-selling books. Her remarkable story inspires the creation of tribute websites, videos, and blogs. Her striking image fills social media feeds on a daily basis. Just this year, on February 14, the world-renowned perfume house, Le Galion in Paris, released a fragrance, L’Astre (Incendiary Star), in honor of Ava.
No doubt, her breathtaking appearance and innate confidence also made her a beloved model for the leading designers of her time including award-winning Hollywood costumers like Irene Lentz, Walter Plunkett, and Edith Head as well as haute couture houses like the Fontana Sisters, Christian Dior, and Balenciaga. Look at any star-studded red carpet or designer runway today, and you can still see her lasting influence on the world of fashion.
Ava Gardner has been celebrated with historical markers in the U.S. and England and a bronze statue of her which overlooks the coast of Spain. Her name is still associated with enduring glamour and lent to well-crafted products. With all the global attention and publicity of her recent centennial year, December 2022-2023, now is the perfect time to commemorate Ava Gardner’s iconic status and lasting contributions to international cinema, global fashion, and humanitarian causes.
Wilson County North Carolina historical marker placed near Rock Ridge High School where Ava Gardner graduated in 1939.
Kanab, Utah historic marker commemorating , Ava Gardner and Howard Keel who filmed MGM"s "Ride, Vaquero" (1953) in the area.
North Carolina state historic marker installed near Ava Gardner's gravesite at Sunset Memorial Park in Smithfield, North Carolina.
English Heritage Blue Plaque on Ava Gardner's former residence at 34 Ennismore Gardens, London, England.
Statue of Ava Gardner as Pandora Reynolds from "Pandora and the Flying Dutchman" (1951) in Tossa de Mar, Spain.
Ava Gardner was among the first group of entertainers honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her star is located at 1560 Vine Street, Los Angeles, California.
“There should be a little more quality in this life, a little more delicacy, a little more love and gentleness and kindness. That goes for just everything and it must begin with ourselves.”
– Ava Gardner